Just the Housekeeper's Daughter
by Kristen3
Summary: It's Sam's first Mother's Day in Connecticut, and Angela doesn't care...Or does she? Please R&R, Complete!
1. Chapter 1 The Assignment

English was Samantha Micelli's last class o f the day. She was looking forward to it being over because it was Friday, which meant, once school was out, it was the weekend. She was planning to spend her weekend like she usually did, hanging out at the mall with her friends and gossiping about boys. 

As she sat there pretending to listen to her teacher lecture about the novel the class was currently studying, Sam thought about how much her life had changed in the last few months. Connecticut was certainly different from Brooklyn, but in a good way! Here, Sam didn't have to worry about getting in a fight every other day. Plus, she finally had a backyard to play in instead of the street.

Bu what Sam liked most about her new life was that she finally had a real family. For so many years, it had been just her, her father, and Mrs. Rossini Now, all of a sudden, she had Mona, Angela, and even Jonathan (when he wasn't being too much of a pest). It had taken time, but Sam was really adjusting to life in the suburubs.

Sam was brought out of her thoughts by her teacher's sudden announcement. "As you all know, Mother's Day is next Sunday. I thought that might make a good opportunity for a writing exercise. I want you all to write an essay on what makes your mother so special." Most of the class groaned. Sam, however, was pleased. _This'll be easy_, she thought. _Mom and I used to be so close!_ Sam was only four when her mother passed away, but that didn't mean she didn't have memories of her. She smiled, remembering those early years back in Brooklyn.

But even Samantha wasn't happy with what the teacher said next. "Instead of simply handing in your papers like you usually do, we will all share them with the class next Friday. And you can invite your mothers to join in our little celebration so that they can hear you read your essays to the rest of class."

This time, Sam groaned along with her classmates. _Now what am I going to do?_ she thought. I'll be the only kid who's mother can't come.


	2. Chapter 2 Advice from Mona

When Sam got home, she saw Mona sitting on the couch watching TV. "Hey, kid. How are things in the wonderful world of sixth grade?"

"Not so good," Sam replied, as she sat down next to Mona with a sigh.

"Boy trouble, school trouble, or friend trouble?" Mona asked. "It's got to be one of the three. Whenever Angela came home from school with that look on her face, it was usually boy trouble. Now, when I was in school , it was usually friend trouble. I never had boy problems...but that's another story. I'll tell you about it when you're older. So, what's going on with you?"

"School trouble. See, my English teacher assigned us this project for mother's day. We have to write an essay about our moms and share them with the class next week."

"So what's the problem?" Mona asked. "You like to write, and the topic sounds right up your alley. I'm sure your dad would be glad to help you."

"Yeah, but the thing is, all the mothers are supposed to come to class and hear our papers," Sam said.

"Oh," said Mona. "And you're worried you'll be the only one without a mother there?" Sam nodded. "Well, why don't you just ask Angela? I know she's not your real mother, but I'm sure she'd be flattered to be asked to fill in."

"I thought about that," Samantha admitted. "But I'm not sure how to ask her. I mean, we've only been living here for a few months. I couldn't ask her to do something like this for me."

"That's ridiculous!" Mona said. "Didn't Angela take you shopping when you needed a bra? I know my daughter, and she'd be happy to do this for you, too."

"Yeah, I know, but, well, do you think you could ask her for me?" Sam said as she stared at the floor nervously.

"Well, all right, if you really want me to. But I still think you should ask her yourself."

Upon hearing this, Sam threw her arms around Mona and exclaimed, "Thanks, Mona! You're the best!" 


	3. Chapter 3 Asking Angela

That night, after Angela had returned from the office, and the family had eaten dinner, Mona offered to help do the dishes so that she could have a chance to ask about Sam's class. 

"You never offer to help clean up, Mother. What do you want?" Angela asked as they began taking the plates off the table.

"Angela, I'm surprised at you, thinking I'm only helping out because I want something!"

"You mean you really _don't_ have an ulterior motive?" asked Angela, genuinely surprised.

"Oh, no, I do!" Mona replied. "I'm just surprised you picked up on it!"

Angela sighed. "Ok, Mother, how much money do you need?"

"None," Mona said. "Actually, it's more like I need a favor."

"What do you need?"

"Well, it's not so much _my _favor as it is Samantha's," Mona said.

"What do you mean?" Angela asked.

"It seems Samantha's teacher has asked her class to write about their mothers, and then the mothers are coming to school to hear them read their essays," Mona explained.

"And Sam wants me to be there?" Angela asked. "Oh, that's so sweet! I'd love to! When is it?"

"Next Friday afternoon, around 1."

"Oh, no! I can't do that. I have a meeting with a client next Friday afternoon. I'd cancel it, but we really need this account," Angela said.

"Oh, Angela, can't you put work aside for one afternoon? To make a little girl very happy?" Mona asked.

"Mother, if I rearranged my schedule for every activity that the kids were involved in, I'd never get any work done. I love Sam, but I can't just let Wallace and McQuade lose a 50,000 account," Angela reasoned. "I guess I'd better go tell her I can't make it," Angela said with a sigh, as she left the kitchen.

In the living room, Angela found Sam sitting on the couch doing homework. "Sam, honey," Angela said, trying to get her attention.

"Yeah, Angela?" Sam replied, not taking her eyes off her textbook.

"Mother's just told me about your school project. It sounds really wonderful."

"Thanks!" Sam said, now turning her attention to Angela. "I'm going to start writing my essay tonight."

"I'd love to read it, when you've finished it," Angela said.

Sam shook her head. "It's supposed to be a surprise. You'll just have to wait and hear it next week with all the other parents."

"Well, I think maybe you'd better let me read it," Angela said gently.

"What are you saying?" asked Sam nervously.

"I have a big business meeting with a major client next Friday afternoon. It doesn't look like I can come," Angela said.

"Oh," said Sam. "Well, OK, then. If you have to work, you have to work."

"You're sure you're OK with this?" Angela asked.

"Yeah," said Sam, looking down at the floor. "I think I'll go finish working up in my room." With that, Sam took her books and went upstairs.

As she watched Sam leave the room, Angela didn't know quite what to think. Just then, Mona returned from the kitchen. "Well, did you tell her?" Angela nodded. "How did she take it?"

"Pretty well, I guess. She said she understood," Angela replied.

"That's good. At least she didn't get too upset," Mona said reassuringly.

"Yeah, but, I don't know. Something about her behavior seemed odd," Angela said.

"Angela, she's almost a teenager. She's not supposed to make sense!" Mona said.


	4. Chapter 4 Angela's Dilemma

For the next hour or so, Angela left Sam alone. She went into her study to work on a new ad campaign for work. Then she started to head upstairs to say good-night to Jonathan when she noticed one of Samantha's schoolbooks sitting on the coffee table. _Sam might be needing this_, she thought. _I'll go give it to her before I put Jonathan to bed._

So Angela headed up to Sam's room, and was just about to knock when she stopped herself. She could hear Sam talking on the phone to one of her girlfriends. "Yeah, I asked Angela," she heard Samantha saying. "And she said she can't come! Can you believe that? I don't know, she has a meeting for work or something." There was a pause. "You know, I really thought Angela and I were finally starting to get closer, and now something like this happens," Sam was telling her friend Marci. "I guess I really am just the housekeeper's daughter to her."

Upon hearing that, Angela couldn't help letting out a small gasp. Then she realized Samantha might catch her eavesdropping on her phone conversation. Angela quickly headed to her son's room before Samantha even knew she had been standing there.

Angela quickly put her son to bed, then went back downstairs to think about what she'd just heard. As she sat on the couch, lost in thought, Mona entered from the kitchen.

"Angela, what's wrong?" Mona asked as she sat down next to her daughter.

"I just overheard Samantha talking on the phone," Angela said.

"So? This may come as a surprise to you, dear, but teenage girls these days _do _do that."

"Oh, Mother! I heard her telling one of her girlfriends that she thinks I'm not coming to her class because I don't really care about her."

"Oh," said Mona. "Well, I'm free next Friday. I could go to her school for you," she offered.

"That's very nice of you, Mother, but this is my problem. I'm just going to have to figure a way out myself," Angela said.


	5. Chapter 5 The Big Day

The following Friday, Sam took her regular seat in her English class, a nervous wreck. Kids were walking around, introducing their classmates to their mothers. One of the mothers saw that Sam was alone and walked up to her. "Where is your mother, dear?" 

Sam swallowed nervously. "Oh, um, she couldn't come."

"She couldn't get the day off from work?" the woman asked.

"No," Sam explained. "She died when I was four."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," the woman replied as she walked away. Sam, meanwhile, wanted to crawl into the nearest hole. Just as she was considering sneaking out, a familiar face slipped into the room. Samantha did a double-take. "Angela?" she asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, unless I've got the wrong classroom, I came to hear your Mother's Day essay," Angela said.

"But what about your big meeting at work?" Samantha asked.

"I re-scheduled it," Angela replied. "See, I accidentally overheard you talking on the phone to Marci."

Sam winced. "I'm sorry for saying all that stuff. I was just upset."

"It's OK," Angela replied. "I know I can be a bit of a workaholic sometimes."

"Sometimes?" Sam asked with a laugh.

"Ok, all the time," Angela corrected.

"I can't believe you gave up a big business meeting for me. You're always saying how work comes first," Samantha said.

"Let's just say that in the past few months, I've been noticing that there might be some things more important than that," Angela replied, hugging her.

**_The End_**


End file.
